Machine for packaging articles in bags or tubes



Oct. 19762 c. A. CALDER ET'AL 3,0'60565-7 MACHINE FOR PACKAGING ARTICLES IN BAGS OR TUBES Filed July 2..v 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS. 6461542 A. CALDER 056,92 STOECKLI TTORA EX Oct. 30, 1962 c. A. CALDER ETAL 3,060,657

MACHINE FOR PACKAGING ARTICLES IN BAGS OR TUBES Filed July 2. 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 77 F I 44 I 73 6 1; 1- 71 FIGS. 7\ F k i INVENTORS.

cAes/uz .4. 4.44052 oscmz s rasclru FIGS. W %X 3,060,657 MACHINE FOR PACKAGING ARTICLES IN BAGS 0R TUBES Caesar A. Calder, Caldwell, N.J., and Oscar W. Stoeckli,

Rye, N.Y., assignors to Time Savers, Inc., Montclair,

N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Filed July 2, 1959, Ser. No. 824,599 20 Claims. (Cl. 53-77) This invention relates to a machine for packing articles in bags or tubes. It is particularly directed to a novel packaging machine which is used to make a package without damage to the bag or tube, using a bag made either of flexible packaging material, such as polyethylene (with resistance to tearing when stretched), or a paper bag which may have low resistance to tearing when opened or stretched. The package can take on sharp rectangular shape by using a shell or frame made of cardboard in conjunction with the bag or tube.

An object of this invention is to provide a highly improved machine of the character described so constructed that various size bags may be packaged, safety means being provided to prevent tearing of the bag.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a machine of the character described, a pair of posts fixed on a table, elements or arms pivoted to the upper ends of the posts, a movable tray disposed between the posts and below said elements, said tray having a portion extending beyond said elements, on which the articles to be packed are mounted, whereby a bag may be fitted over the pivoted elements and the portion of the tray disposed beneath said elements, and means for lowering the tray to spread the bag so that the articles on the extending portion of the tray may be pushed into the bag, and the bag then pushed off said elements and tray.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide, in a machine of the character described, means controlled by tilting movement of at least one of the pivoted elements, when the bag is fully opened or stretched, to stop the downward movement of the tray so as to prevent tearing of the bag.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide in a machine of the character described, spring means to retain the pivoted arms in horizontal position to resiliently resist downward titlting of the arms when the bag is fully opened as the tray descends.

Still another object of this invention is to provide highly improved means to control the movement of the tray, including a hydraulic cylinder and a piston slidable in the cylinder and attached to the tray, and means to control movement of the piston.

Yet a further object of this invention is to provide a strong, rugged and durable machine of the character described, which shall be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, sure and positive in operation, and practical and highly eflicient in use.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of invention will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing in which is shown at least one illustrative embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the machine embodying the invention;

FIG. 2. is a cross-sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG 2;

FIG. 4 is a partial top plan view illustrating a detail;

FIG. 5 is a partial elevational view showing the connection of a pivoted arm to one of the posts illustrated in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 66 of FIG 2;

FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the air control valve, taken on line 77 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 8 is a wiring diagram for the control of the solenoid valve.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, 10 designates a machine embodying the invention. Said machine comprises a supporting stand or base 11 supporting at its upper end a horizontal table 12. The supporting stand or base 11 comprises a front wall 13, a rear wall 14, a bottom wall 15, corner legs 16, and an intermediate transverse horizontal wall 17. Aifixed to the top of the table 12 and extending upwardly therefrom are a pair of vertical sym metrically disposed posts 20 made of angle iron. Said posts 2t) have parallel flanges 21 and aligned flanges 22 extending outwardly from the flanges 21. Pivoted to the upper ends of the flanges 21 of the posts 20, as by pivot pins or rivets 23, are angle shaped brackets 24. Said brackets 24 have parallel flanges 25 and aligned flanges 26 extending outwardly from said parallel flanges. The flanges 25 contact the flanges 21, and the flanges 26 normally contact the flanges 22. The brackets 24 are located at the upper ends of the posts 20. The flanges 26 extend downwardly below the flanges 25, as shown in FIG. 5 of the drawing. Aflixed to the inner surfaces of the flanges 25 as by welding as at 27 or in any other suitable manner, are horizontal arms 23. The arms 28 may also be made of angle iron or angular stock and comprise top horizontal inwardly extending flanges 29 and parallel downwardly extending flanges 30. The arms 28 are fixed to the brackets 24 adjacent their rear ends. The rear ends of the top flanges 29 may be inclined upwardly and rearwardly as at 31. At their free ends, the flanges 36 may terminate short of the flanges 29. It will now be understood that the pivoted arms 28 are located inside of the posts 20. The flanges 26 of the brackets 24 are formed with through slots or openings 35 disposed below the pivoted arms 28. (See FIGS. 4 and 5 Flanges 22 are formed with threaded openings 36 registering with the opening 35 and screwed thereto are studs 37 passing outwardly through the openings 35 and extending in a horizontal direction. Nuts 38 may be screwed to the inner ends of the studs 37. The studs 37 may have heads 39 at their outer ends. Surrounding the studs and disposed between the heads 39 and the flange 26, are coil compression springs 40. It will now be understood that the springs 40 press the flanges 26 of the brackets 24 against the flanges 22 of the posts 20 to bias the pivoted elements 28; normally upwardly to horizontal position. However, downward pressure on the outer ends of the pivoted arms 28 will cause the flanges 26 to swing outwardly against the pressure of springs 40; and release of the arms 28 will cause the springs 40 to again swing the arms upwardly back to horizontal position.

For the purpose hereinafter appearing, there is attached to the flange 22 of one of the posts 20 (as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5), an angle bracket 41 having one arm 42 fixed to said flange 22. Extending from arm 42, in arm 43, and attached thereto is a micro-switch 45 having an actuating finger 46 projecting forwardly toward flange 26. The micro-switch 45 is normally closed, but when the arm 28 is swung downwardly, flange 26 engaging the switch finger 46 will open the micro-switch =45. The purpose for this micro-switch will be explained hereinafter.

Mounted on the transverse wall 17 of the stand, or in any suitable manner, on the base or stand, is a hydraulic cylinder 50. The cylinder 54 may comprise a bottom wall 51 and a top wall 52 grooved at their inner sides to Patented Oct. 30, 1962 receive the ends of a cylinder vessel 53. The end walls 51 and 52 may be tightly clamped to opposing ends of the cylinder vessel 53 by the means of tie rods 54. Disposed within the cylinder vessel 53 is a piston 55. Fixed to the piston 55 and extendingupwardly therefrom, is a thick piston rod 56 passing through a suitable opening 57 in the upper wall or disc 52. A fixed collar 58 on the piston rod 56 contacts the inner surface of the cylinder vessel 53, serving as a guide for the piston rod.

The table 12 is provided with a bushing 60 through which the piston rod 56 passes upwardly above the table. On the upper end of the piston rod 56 is a disc 61. The disc 61 is fixed to the underside of a square plate 62. Mounted on the plate 62 is an elongated horizontal tray 63. The tray 63 has a bottom wall 64 and elongated parallel side flanges 65. It will be noted that the piston rod 56 is disposed beyond the posts 26. However, the tray 63 passes between the posts 20 and underlies the arms 28. The sides of tray 63 are in the planes of the outer flanges of arms 28.

Fixed to the four corners of the square plate 62 are guide rods 66 passing down through bushings 67 in table 12.

Mounted on the transverse wall 17 in parallel relationship; to the cylinder 50, is the second accumulator cyl inder 70. The cylinder 70 comprises a bottom disc 71 and a top disc 72 inter-connected by tie rods 73. The inner faces of the discs 71 and 72 are formed with grooves to receive the outer end of a cylinder vessel 74 interposed between said discs. Within the cylindrical vessel 74 is a floating piston 77. Connected to the bottom disc 51 of cylinder 50 is a downwardly extending pipe or conduit 78 passing through a suitable opening in the transverse wall 17. Connected to the bottom disc 71 of the cylinder 70 is a pipe or conduit 79 passing through a suitable opening in the transverse Wall 17. On the lower ends of the pipes 78 and 79, are elbows 80 and 81 interconnected by pipe 82. Interposed in the pipe 82 is a oneway check valve 83 which permits flow of liquid only to the right, or in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 2 of the drawing to carry liquid from cylinder 70 to cylinder 50. interposed in pipe 78 is T-connection 84a. Interposed in the pipe 79 is a T-connection 84. The T-connections 84 and 84a are interconnected by a pipe 85. Interposed in pipe 85 is a solenoid controlled valve 86. The solenoid for the valve 86 is controlled by a circuit under control of switch 45 as illustrated in FIG. 8. When the solenoid for the valve 86 is energized, this being the normal case when the finger 46 is not contacted by the flange 26, said valve 86 is open, permitting flow of liquid from beneath the piston 55 in the cylinder 50, through the pipe 85 to the cylinder 70 below the piston 77. However, when the elements or arms 28 are swung downwardly, and the flange 26 of one arm contacts the finger 46, micro-switch '45 is opened, thereby de-energizing the solenoid for the valve 86, and allowing the valve to be normally closed, to stop flow of liquid from the cylinder 50 to the cylinder 70.

The upper end of cylinder 70 is connected by conduit 90 to a manually operated air control valve 91 (FIG. 7). The control valve 91 comprises a valve housing 92 formed with a chamber 93. The housing 92 is provided with three openings 94, 95, 96 communicating with the chamber 93. The conduit 90 is connected to the opening 94. Exhaust pipe 97 is connected to the opening 95. An air supply conduit 98 is connected to the opening 96. The openings 95 and 96 have valve seats 95a and 96a. Within the housing 92 is a toggle valve member 100, provided with spring means to snap said valve member either into a position closing the valve seat 95:: or into a position closing the valve seat 96a. For this purpose the toggle valve 100 has a valve closure 102 to close the valve seat 9611 and valve closure 101 to close the valve seat 95a. The toggle valve member 100 is controlled by a manually actuated arm 103 pivoted to the valve housing at 104. The valve opening 94 is always open. The conduit 98 is connected to a regulator 110 which in turn is connected by conduit 111 to an air filter 112, the latter being connected by conduit 113 to a supply of air under pressure.

In the valve position shown in FIG. 7, the exhaust pipe 97 is closed and air under pressure is being fed through conduit 98 to conduit and into the cylinder 70 above the piston 77. The compressed air in the cylinder 70 will press the piston 77 downwardly to cause fluid to move down through pipe 79 through the one-way check valve 83 to the piston 50 for raising the tray 63. Liquid cannot pass through the solenoid control valve 86 from left to right even when the solenoid for said valve is energized and the valve is open. Liquid can only flow through the valve when it is open and only from right to left (look at FIG. 2 of the drawing). The tray 63 moves up until it is in its topmost position, close to the pivoted arms 28.

Fixed to the table 12 is a vertical back or guide wall 120 lying in a plane close to one edge of the tray. The back wall 120 may have any suitable markings thereon to indicate various levels for stacking articles to be packed. The articles A, such as shirts, may be placed on the rear end of the tray, in front of the wall 120. Any suitable number of such articles may be so stacked. These are the articles which are to be packed in a bag or tube.

The bag B is placed over the pivoted arms 28 and over the left end of the tray 63 so that the mouth of bag is close to the posts 20. The operator then swings the handle 103 to the right causing the valve 100 to snap into position closing the valve seat 96a and opening the valve seat a. Air in the upper end of the cylinder 70 is now connected to exhaust. The weight of the tray with the articles thereon and the thick piston rod 56 will then move downwardly pressing the liquid in the bottom of the cylinder 50 through the normally open solenoid valve 86, the liquid passing into the lower end of the cylinder 70, raising the piston 77, and exhausting air through the exhaust pipe 97. As this movement continues, the tray 63 is lowered to a point where the left end of the tray contacts the bottom of the bag and presses the top of the bag down against the arms 28. When enough pressure is developed on the arms 28, they are swung down slightly, against the tension of the springs 40, and the microswitch finger 46 is contacted to open the micro-switch 45 and tie-energizes the solenoid for the valve 86, thereby closing said valve and preventing further flow of liquid from the cylinder 50 to the cylinder 70, and thereby stopping the downward movement of the tray 63. Tearing of the bag is thus prevented.

The springs 40 are so selected that the micro-switch 46 will be engaged and actuated before the bag is under such tension which will tear it. When the movement of the tray 63 downwardly stops, the operator may shove the articles A into the open bag, and the articles and bag may be pushed off the arms 28 and tray 63, thereby causing the arms 28 to again move up to horizontal position under impact of the springs 40, thereby disengaging the micro-switch finger 46, closing said micro-switch and energizing the solenoid for again opening the valve 86. The operator then again moves the handle 103 to the position shown in FIG. 7 closing the exhaust and permitting air under pressure to enter the cylinder 70 to depress the piston 77 to move the liquid from the lower end of the cylinder 70 through the one way check valve 83, to the cylinder 50 for again raising the tray 63 to a position where the loading and packing of another bag may be repeated.

it will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

We claim:

1. In combination, a stand, a pair of upstanding posts fixed thereto, parallel arms connected to said posts, a tray mounted for up and down movement on said stand, said tray including a portion disposed between the posts and beneath said arms, and a portion extending beyond said arms, and means to move said tray downwardly, away from said arms, and upwardly toward said arms, the connections between said arms and posts being pivotal connections, spring means to bias the arms upwardly to horizontal positions, and means controlled by pivotal movement of at least one of said arms downwardly to control the means for moving the tray to brake the downward movement of said tray.

2. The combination of claim 1, said means for moving the tray comprising manually controlled fluid means for moving the tray upwardly.

3. In combination, a stand, a table supported by the stand, a pair of spaced vertical posts fixed to the table and extending upwardly therefrom, horizontal arms pivoted adjacent their rear ends to the upper ends of the posts, respectively, spring means to bias the arms upwardly to horizontal positions, means on said arms to limit upward swinging movement of said arms to horizontal positions, a vertical cylinder mounted on the stand and below said table, a piston in said cylinder, a piston rod extending up through the upper end of the cylinder and through the table, a horizontal tray fixed to the upper end of the piston rod and having a portion disposed between said posts and beneath said arms, a second cylinder fixed on said stand, a floating piston in said second cylinder, a conduit connecting one end of the second cylinder with the lower end of the first cylinder, and a one way check valve interposed in said conduit, permitting liquid to flow only from the second cylinder to the first cylinder.

4. The combination of claim 3, in combination with means to supply fluid under pressure to the other end of the second cylinder.

5. The combination of claim 4, in combination with a conduit connected at the ends thereof to the first conduit in parallel across the check valve, and a solenoid controlled valve interposed in the second conduit permitting flow of fluid only from the first cylinder to the second cylinder when said valve is open.

6. The combination of claim 4, the means to supply fluid under pressure to said other end of said second cylinder comprising a connector conduit connected at one end to said other end of said second cylinder, a valve housing, said connector conduit being connected at its other end to said housing, a supply conduit connected to a source of fluid under pressure and connected to said valve housing, an exhaust on said housing and manually controlled means to alternately connect said connector conduit to said supply conduit and to said exhaust.

7. The combination of claim 5, said solenoid controlled valve comprising a solenoid which when energized opens the valve, a normaly closed switch on one of said posts, circuit means controlled by said switch normally energizing said solenoid, and means on one of said pivoted arms to open the switch when said arm is swung down, to de-energize said solenoid and close said solenoid controlled valve.

8. The combination of claim 7, in combination with the means to supply fluid under pressure to said other end of said second cylinder comprising a connector conduit connected at one end to said other end of said second cylinder, a valve housing, said connector conduit being connected at its other end to said housing, a supply conduit connected to a source of fluid under pressure and connected to said valve housing, an exhaust on said 6 housing, and manually controlled means to alternately connect said connector conduit to said supply conduit and to said exhaust.

9. In combination, a stand, a vertical cylinder mounted on the stand, a piston in said cylinder, a piston rodfor said piston passing upwardly through the upper end of the cylinder, a tray fixed to the upper end of the piston rod, a second cylinder, a conduit connecting one end of the second cylinder with the lower end of the first cylinder, a one way check valve interposed in said conduit permitting fluid to flow only from the second cylinder to the first cylinder, a second conduit connected at its ends to spaced portions of the first conduit in opposite sides of said check valve, a normally closed valve interposed in the second conduit permitting flow of fluid when the valve is open only from the first cylinder tothe second cylinder, and means to open said second valve.

10. The combination of claim 9, a floating piston in the second cylinder, and means including a manually controlled valve, to either supply fluid under pressure to the other end of said second cylinder or to exhaust said other end of said second cylinder.

11. The combination of claim 10, said means for opening said second valve comprising a solenoid on said second valve to open said valve when said solenoid is energized, circuit means to energize said solenoid, and a normally closed switch in said circuit to de-energize said solenoid when said switch is open, and means to open said switch.

12. The combination of claim 11, in combination with bag engaging means disposed above a portion of the tray located so that an open bag can be placed over said means and said portion of the tray, and means controlling said bag engaging means to control said switch.

13. In combination, a stand, a tray, rods connected to the tray and extending downwardly therefrom, bushings in the stand to slidably receive said rods, a vertical cylinder fixed to the stand, a piston in the cylinder, a piston rod fixed to the piston and extending up through the upper end of the cylinder and fixed to the underside of the tray, means to supply fluid to the lower end of said cylinder to raise the tray and to release said fluid to lower the tray, a pair of posts fixed to said stand and extending upwardly therefrom, and arms pivoted to said posts and located above portions of said tray.

14. The combination of claim 13, in combination with means controlled by at least one of said arms to stop the release of fluid from the lower end of said cylinder to stop the downward movement of said tray.

15. In combination, a stand, a horizontal tray mounted on the stand for up and down movement, a pair of arms movably mounted on the stand, and above a portion of said tray, with a portion of the tray extending beyond said arms whereby a bag may be fitted over said arms and over a portion of the tray there beneath, manually controlled means to move said tray wholly upwardly and downwardly, and means controlled by movement of at least one of said arms by the fitted bag when it is fully distended by the downward movement of the tray, to stop the downward movement of said tray by said moving means.

16. The combination of claim 15, in combination with a guide wall fixed to the stand and extending upwardly therefrom alongside the extending portion of said tray.

17. In combination, a tray, pivoted arm means coextensive with a portion of the tray whereby an open bag may be fitted over said portion of the tray and over said arm means, means to cause relative movement between the tray and arm means away from each other whereby when said bag is fully extended said pivoted arm means will be pivotally moved by the extended bag, means to brake the relative movement between said tray and said arm means, and means controlled by the pivotal movement of the pivoted arm means, to actuate said brake means.

18. The combination of claim 17, the means for causing relative movement between the tray and arm means away from each other, including means to cause relative movement between said tray and arm means towards each other, in combination with manually controlled means selectively controlling said means for causing relative movement, to initiate relative movement between said tray and arm means either away from each other or toward each other.

19. In combination, a tray, bag engaging means, a support, means to mount said bag engaging means for movement relative to said support, said bag engaging means being located over said tray so that a bag may be fitted over said bag engaging means and tray, means to cause relative movement between said tray and said support and said bag engaging means to increase the space between the tray and bag engaging means, whereby a bag fitted on said tray and bag engaging means will be distended, and whereby said bag engaging means will be moved by the distended bag relative to its support, and means controlled by movement of said bag engaging 8 means relative to its support by a distended, fitted bag, to stop the relative movement between said tray and said support.

20. In combination, a tray, a stand, a bag engaging means above the tray, means to mount said bag engaging means for pivotal movement about a fixed axis on said stand, means to move the tray down, away from said bag engaging means, and means controlled by pivotal movement of said bag engaging means about said axis to brake the tray moving means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,349,133 Hulbert Aug. 10, 1920 2,701,136 Schmidt et al. Feb. 1, 1955 2,711,848 Capps June 28, 1955 2,823,503 Wolf et al Feb. 18, 1958 2,850,855 Offutt Sept. 9, 1958 2,895,276 Brooks et al. July 21, 1959 2,896,944 Shiba July 28, 1959 2,907,156 Anderson Oct. 6, 1959 

